new thread
I'm only at month 10 - not quite ready to post a pic yet - but I'll do so at the one year stage - but I am finding it very helpful to be in touch with the board.
Now I may be anticipating problems - but - I have very fine hair - quite a lot of it - but fine so I think it may well grow a bit more than the 1/2 inch a month - well could be anyway.
The thing is this - the last guy who cut my hair before I decided to just go for growth - talked me into having a "body perm" on the top hair. Not all over but just to give bit more volume. Bad mistake I fear. I am worried that it will have damaged it and that I'll get breakages later. Any advice at all?
I also have fine hair and a lot of it! I have never had a perm, but I can tell you that finer hair really must be taken care of. For me that means a good quality shampoo and conditioner. I shampoo every day, and I use the conditioner EVERY DAY. Even on a day when I might not shampoo, which is rare, I still rinse with water and use the conditioner.
I rarely have trouble with breaking hair--unless I am visiting other locales with hard water, or am in chlorine or salty water for several days in a row. Extra conditioner is the only thing.
Also, finer hair, as it gets longer, may tend to tangle more. Brushing your hair more than a couple of times a day is a good idea. I use a large, rubber bristled brush, and it works very well.
Robert
I've been experiencing quite a lot of tangling lately (and some of them are seriously wicked tangles).
Due to the curliness of my hair, I can't get a brush or comb through it unless it wet and drenched in conditioner, so I can't brush unless I wash my hair.
I've been trying to space out shampooings, but after reading your post, I think maybe I should do it more frequently, so the nasty tangles don't get a real chance to form?
I think Robert's right on the money; I also wash and condition almost every day. I have fine hair, fairly thick, which is growing almost an inch a month (I have charted my growth to document it).
Even if there is some damage; let it grow out; take care of it from this point on. Don't react to something that may not even occur. Get to a year or two down the road and reevaluate; at that time you can make a determination of what you need to do. You may see no difference at that time and can keep growing without a trim; you won't know until you have gone down that path.
George
Perms are chemical changes of your hair to get the strands to alter their shape. That is harsh on hair so treat it gently. The permed areas might be drier than the rest so need extra conditioner and I'd suggest oiling it when it feels crunchy or stiffer than your untreated hair.
The permed hair has already been damamged so further harsh processes need to be reduced as much as possible. Don't straighten your hair with an iron or use other heat styling. Let your hair air dry as often as you can.
The good news is that despite the damage perming does you are early in your growth. If you plan a trimmed look the permed hair will be gone eventually anyway. You know enough now by your own experience to avoid that in the future as your grow. What looks puny to you now is hair that when longer will be limp enough to pick up your slightest moventments and will sway handsomely as you walk.
Elizabeth
There is a shampoo that might be right for you. It is Garnier Fructis Fortifying Shampoo for Length and Strength, Split Ends, Fragile or Hard-to-Grow Long Hair. It is part of a collection of G.F. products they call the "Anti-Breakage Strengthening System." There is also a conditioner in the product line but I don't know what it's called, however it is usually sold along with the shampoo i just mentioned. they claim it strengthens hair by a factor of 5. there's so much hype in hair care but who knows, it might be worth a try. A 13 oz. bottle (384 ml) is between 4 and 5 U.S. dollars.